LCU sweeps doubleheader, 7-2 & 11-0

No. 1 Lubbock Christian University Chaparrals held the University of Southwest to a combined five hits and Ross Blondin and Will Stramp each had multi-home run performances to lead LCU to a doubleheader sweep, winning 7-2 and 11-0 Tuesday afternoon from blistering Williams Field.

The Chaps opened the scoring early in the first inning of the opener. Dan Neumann just beat out a bases loaded 4-6-3 double play attempt to allow Stramp to score from third base for a 1-0 lead. Danny Navarro tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning with a double deep to right-centerfield. The Mustangs had the bases loaded with one out and a 3-0 count on Matt Peoples, but Chaps starting pitcher Tanner Vickers responded with three straight strikes for the strikeout and forced Dusty Lay into grounding out on a fielder's choice to end the threat.

Stramp quickly got the lead back for LCU with a lead-off home run in the third inning, and Blondin followed with a homer to complete the back-to-back jacks for the Chaps. For Blondin, it was the second time he hit his team-leading 20th home run of the season, but this one counted. He had hit a home run Saturday at Oklahoma Christian in the sixth inning, but all statistics of the game past the fifth inning were erased since thunderstorms disallowed the completion of the inning and the game.

The Chaps received another lead-off homer in the fourth inning, as Brett Kazmierski put a solo shot over the left field fence for a 4-1 lead. Charlie Aceto relieved Vickers in the bottom of the fourth after Vickers struck out five batters and held the Mustangs to a run on three hits. The Mustangs cut the LCU lead in half with a sacrifice fly by Navarro that plated Gary Valenzuela from third base. Lubbock Christian earned the run back and added an additional run in the top of the fifth inning as Stramp led off with a walk and Blondin crushed his second home run of the game for a 6-2 lead. Kazmierski extended the lead with a hit through the right side to score Learned later in the inning for a 7-2 LCU advantage.

Aceto received the win to improve to 5-0 and pitched four hitless innings in relief. The Chaps out-hit the Mustangs 11-3 in the game.

In the second game, the Chaps used another early start to get ahead of the Mustangs. Jaime Armendariz singled through the left side in the top of the first and Stramp followed with his second home run of the game. Dominguez extended the lead in the second inning with a double down the left field line to score Kazmierski after a pair of lead-off walks from Mustangs starter Matt Peoples.

They continued the trend of scoring in each inning, scoring a run on a wild pitch in the third inning and then tallying four runs in the fourth inning. J.J. Muse singled in Neumann, who was aboard due to a lead-off double to deep left-centerfield, and Armendariz singled to left field to score another run before Stramp hit his third homer of the day and second of the game. Stramp's homer was a two-run shot that provided LCU an 8-0 lead. LCU closed the game with a three-run fifth inning. Neuman, Armendariz and Muse each provided the runs-batted-in during the inning.

Starting pitcher Shane Karnbach and reliever Kevin Burns each allowed just one hit in the game. Karnbach pitched three scoreless innings to notch the win (2-0). The Chaps out-hit the Mustangs 12-2 in the game.

The Chaps are now 40-2 on the season with the pair of victories. They now return home to prepare to open a Sooner Athletic Conference series against Rogers State beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday with a doubleheader.

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